A NEWLY developed in-wheel electric motor could significantly alter how future electric vehicles are designed, potentially eliminating hundreds of kilograms from vehicle weight while delivering power levels previously reserved for multimotor drivetrains.
The motor, developed by Yasa — a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz and a supplier to performance brands including Ferrari — is capable of producing up to 1,000 horsepower per wheel in peak output. Despite this output, the unit weighs just 28 pounds (12.7 kilograms), positioning it among the highest power-density electric motors publicly disclosed to date.
According to technical details released by the company, the motor can also sustain output levels between 469 and 536 horsepower for extended periods, a figure that exceeds the total system output of many current production electric vehicles. The performance eclipses Yasa’s earlier prototype milestone, which achieved 738 horsepower from a motor weighing roughly 29 pounds.
For context, mainstream electric vehicles operate at far lower individual motor outputs. The 2025 Nissan Leaf produces approximately 214 horsepower from a single motor, while high-performance models such as the Tesla Model S rely on multiple motors — typically three — to reach combined outputs near 1,000 horsepower.
The unusually high power-to-weight ratio of the new design is largely attributed to Yasa’s use of axial flux motor architecture. Conventional electric motors used in vehicles are typically based on radial flux designs, in which magnetic fields act perpendicular to the motor shaft and require elongated, cylindrical structures. These configurations inherently limit how compact and lightweight the motor can be.
Axial flux motors take a different geometric approach. Their disc-shaped rotors and stators allow magnetic flux to flow parallel to the shaft, enabling a flatter, more compact layout. This configuration increases torque density and reduces material requirements without sacrificing output, making it particularly well suited for applications where space and mass are critical constraints.
Beyond raw performance, Yasa has emphasized that the motor design is scalable and does not depend on rare earth elements or unconventional materials. This is a key consideration for large-scale adoption, particularly as automakers face increasing pressure to reduce dependence on constrained mineral supply chains.
The implications for vehicle architecture could be substantial. By integrating motors directly into the wheels, manufacturers could eliminate traditional drivetrains, including central motors, transmissions, and driveshafts. Yasa estimates that simply replacing conventional propulsion systems with in-wheel motors could reduce vehicle mass by roughly 200 kilograms (about 440 pounds). In vehicles engineered from the outset around this architecture, total weight savings could approach 500 kilograms, or approximately 1,100 pounds.
Reducing vehicle mass has a cascading effect on efficiency. Lighter vehicles require smaller battery packs for equivalent range, reduce braking and suspension loads, and improve overall energy consumption. In combination, these effects could extend driving range, lower costs, and improve performance without relying on further battery chemistry breakthroughs.
While the motor has not yet been announced for series production, its performance metrics suggest that powertrain innovation — rather than batteries alone — may play a growing role in defining the next generation of electric vehicles.